Unter den linden

While the eyes of the world are on Barack Obama in Berlin, home of the famous boulevard of linden or lime trees, I am surveying the scene of daily devastation that is our patio. Our own personal linden sheds its leaves (and the occasional branch) from end June to November.


See these little pods? They make their way through the house on the animals' fur and paws, leaving the interior of The Cool House looking almost as bad as the exterior. If we want to eat outside we have to sweep the patio exactly 10 minutes before, otherwise we are ankle deep in detritus. They are likewise not friendly to bare feet.


This the upside of the tree - its bark. Beautiful, and one of the reasons I don't take a large axe to it. Another being there are lights in it and I'd probably electrocute myself. The third is that the dryads would be very unhappy and who knows what revenge they could exact.


I don't know what possessed the original landscaper to plant the tree here, it would have been no trouble at all on the lawn. Could have shed to its heart's content and I wouldn't even have noticed. But here it is over the patio and I have to deal with it. Desperate for a solution, this year, in addition to sweeping, I've had the dogs shaved, so the linden-tree fallout should stay outside. At least that's what I'm hoping.


It was either that or train them to sweep with their tails!